The Grandest Treasure
by its-like-a-story-of-love
Summary: They were the most sought-after treasure hunters throughout the Enchanted Forest. But when Killian Jones and Emma Swan meet, they embark on a journey that leads them to the greatest treasure of all.


_**A/N: My Once Upon a Secret Santa gift to my dear Bianca (biancaros3 and shipsxahoy on Tumblr). Thank you for gifting me with yoru ideas, which allowed me to bring your story to life.**_

* * *

"Excuse me, but I believe I saw the compass first…"

"Forgive me, lass, but I have been searching for this compass for weeks. Same as that bean you have in your hand."

"And that automatically gives you the right to take them for yourself?!"

"No need to shout. Wouldn't want to wake the giant now, would you?"

It was the first time they had actually met, but their reputations had preceded them both. Killian Jones and Emma Swan were the premiere treasure hunters throughout the entire Enchanted Forest. Being a pirate for over a century, Jones had the naturally ability for seafaring and sword fighting. Those usually went hand in hand when searching for treasure on the high seas. Plus, the use of his devilishly handsome good looks got him far with the bar wenches who were privy to all the secrets of each port he visited. What he lacked was a natural ability to navigate dry land, but he tried to make up for his shortcoming with his quit wit and charm to have other lead him to what he needed to find. He gave up piracy for treasure hunting when he realized how much more money could be given by simply locating certain items and giving them to those who desired it the most. That is what led him to the beanstalk: King David wanted the compass and the bean in order to send the Evil Queen to another land so that she may stop waging war on his kingdom. But to his surprise, another treasure hunter stood in his way—one that he never had the pleasure of meeting…until now.

Emma Swan, on the other hand, knew nothing but the forest and all the lands that it encompassed. Growing up abandoned by her parents, she learned to fend for herself at a very young age, stealing food from the carts at the market and making money gambling with the men of any area of the forest she resided at any point in time, but she would always come back to the place where she was found: the kingdom of Queen Snow and King David. Not really having many girlfriends growing up, she learned to defend herself while practicing sword fighting and archery with local boys. Graham, a sheriff in the kingdom of Queen Snow and King David, was one of her favorite teachers, ever since she was little and he was merely squire for Snow White's father. She would credit him to this day for everything she knows. She became a treasure hunter when Graham had mentioned that one of the diamonds of Queen Snow had gone missing, believing the Evil Queen to be behind it, and she charged herself with the task of returning them, even without knowing the king and queen personally. Emma felt a rush the likes of which she never knew existed. The sense of danger and suspense she felt when climbing the walls of the Evil Queen's castle; the triumph she felt when she defeated every single guard in her way; and the elation of getting out of there with the diamonds without getting caught was a high she never wanted to come down from at all. Graham was the one who told her about the compass and the magic bean. But what Graham failed to mention was that there was another hunter looking for those exact same items.

"King David sent me personally to retrieve these trinkets for him, love," Killian explained. He stared at his fellow hunter—a task that was not at all difficult. She was stunning, this woman. Hair as yellow as the sun was pulled back from her face so that it would not get in her eyes. But that only enhanced her beauty, because he was able to get a clear view of her stunningly green eyes, full pink lips and her elegant neck. She was wearing a white, frilly shirt with a blue vest, black leather pants and knee-high leather boots. This woman—his rival—was slowly working her way into his heart, and he had only been in her presence for only about a quarter of an hour.

"Very funny."

"I'm not joking."

"I was told by his guard that these were here, and he told me to find them!" Emma wasn't yelling at this man per say, but she was frustrated that they were both sent on the same job by the same person, essentially. But it was hard for Emma to stay angry while looking at this man. He looked more like a pirate than a treasure hunter, but I guess they could be one in the same. Billowing black shirt opened slightly at the chest, giving Emma a decent view of his chest hair and the charms of his necklace. Tight leather pants and leather boots completed his ensemble, as well as the metal hook on his left hand…

"Wait!" There was only one person she knew about who had a hook for a hand and was a treasure hunter like herself. They had never crossed paths until now. "Killian Jones?"

"My reputation precedes me!" he announced, bowing to the lady. "And who may I have the pleasure of meeting?"

As she stood with her legs shoulder width apart, and hands on her hips, she replied, "The name is Swan. Emma Swan." Killian looked up at her while his body was still bowed over, and the look of shock and recognition at the name at the same time was enough to make Emma laugh. "I see my reputation precedes me as well."

Lifting himself upright, Killian said, "Indeed it does, Swan. But that still doesn't change the fact that I need the bean and the compass."

"Well, we seem to be at one hell of an impasse, Jones."

"What can I do to convince you to hand over the goods?" The question was dripping with innuendo. Emma was all too aware of this part of his reputation as well.

Placing the bean in her pouch and the compass around her neck, Emma slowly, seductively sauntered up to Killian. The emotions playing over his face went from confident to shocked to turned-on in mere seconds. When she was just inches away from his the scruff on his chin, she whispered, "Why do want to try and convince me? From what I've heard about you, you're the kind of man who takes what he wants."

"And here I thought you were the open book, love?"

"Me? How so?"

"You're definitely the one who takes what she wants; since you've had to do it pretty much all your life. Am I wrong?"

Emma was suddenly feeling extremely claustrophobic. She had been in the presence of this man for no more than fifteen minutes, and he was already able to strip her emotionally bare. A thunderous noise and a violent tremor knocked her out of her thoughts. There was only one reason this would be happening: the giant was awake. She had the bean and the compass on her. She just had to make sure she left with both. As Killian's balance was shaken by another tremor, Emma took the hilt of her sword and bashed him over the temple, knocking him unconscious. She then feverishly began tying him up to the leg of one of the giant's tables with the rope he had brought along for the descent down the beanstalk. He still hadn't come to when she was finished, so she patted him on the head and whispered, "Thanks for the goods, Jones," as she dashes out the door, not waiting to see what happened to him when the giant arrives. She felt bad, leaving him like that, but a job is a job, and it needed to be done.

It took a good two hours to get down the beanstalk carefully. Once she reached the bottom, she began to make the trek back to see Graham, which was another two hours on foot. As she reached the castle, Graham was waiting as usual, ready to collect from her. She handed the compass off to him, and then reached into the pouch on her hip, only she felt that something is missing.

"Are you kidding me?!" Killian Jones was still at the top of the beanstalk…with the magic bean.

* * *

Emma was drinking the day away at the Tortoise and the Hare—her favorite watering hole in Snow and David's kingdom—when a loud, booming voice broke her out of her reverie. Not only that, but it addressed her personally.

"Swan! Well this is a surprise! Didn't think I'd see you here only this, a most joyous day!"

All she could do was roll her eyes. Because of him, she only pocketed half the reward money that Graham was able to get from King David, and the other half went to Killian when he finally got down from the beanstalk. She didn't tie the ropes that tight; she knew that if he was anything like the rumors said he would be like, he would have escaped easily.

"Swan, didn't you hear me?" He sat down across from her at the table she was occupying by herself, the grin he was sporting was almost infectious. Almost.

"I did. I was choosing to ignore you."

"You wound me, Swan! I figure you would be up for a little adventure!"

"What are you talking about?"

Killian unraveled the scroll he was carrying, and Emma began to read it:

 **Search for the Long Lost Princess of Misthaven**

 _Their Royal Highnesses King David and Queen Snow need help in discovering the whereabouts of their long lost daughter. She was taken from them by the Evil Queen right after she was born; she would be around 28 years of age today._

 _Any information on her location would be greatly rewarded by their majesties._

"King David was able to use the bean to send the Evil Queen to a land without a magic; one where they will never be able to harm them ever again. He kept the compass for himself; hiding it away so that none of her supporters would be able to find it. They felt that this was the perfect time to search for their daughter once again."

Emma knew the story, but she had assumed that the king and queen would have given up after a while. One can only hold out hope for so long before it starts to eat away at your soul. "So what are suggesting? We team up?"

"Why not? Two heads are better than one, as it were."

Emma always thought of herself as solo act; a one-woman show. But where was the harm in having some back-up on this one? Especially if said back-up was easy on the eyes, and he was someone who had been frequenting her dreams ever since the beanstalk.

"You know what? I'm in."

"Splendid! I'll get the next round!"

The next few hours they spent recalling their most adventurous escapades. "Did you really break out of the Evil Queen's prison and take down 50 black guards with a broken leg and rusty sword, Swan?"

"What can I say? When I'm cornered, the beast gets let out of the cage," she responded, taking another sip of rum.

"Remind me never to make you angry."

"I don't think I'll have to remind you."

"Too right, love. Or else I'll have another Sultan situation on my hands."

"Hey, you were the one that apparently seduced his only daughter…"

"What was I supposed to do? She had the magic carpet I needed!"

Emma snorted. "The way that came out…I'm sorry, but that was hilarious."

"Be nice, or I'll never give you a magic carpet ride, Swan," Killian said with a flirtatious wink. There was the walking innuendo she left up atop the beanstalk.

"Please, you couldn't handle it…"

Killian leaned forward over the table, invading her personal space. She suddenly felt flushed all over. She wasn't sure if it was the rum or if it was Killian, but the warmth was spreading. He then opened his mouth, and said onto her lips, "Perhaps you are the one who couldn't handle it." The ending 't' in the statement popped from his teeth, punctuating his point.

She had to end this; it was getting too personal too quickly. She knew just how to end it. "I'm sorry."

Confusion etched over his face. "For what, Swan?"

"For leaving you…with the giant."

"Oh…that…"

"But you honestly can't tell me you wouldn't have done the same thing."

"Actually, no. I wouldn't have." That confession doused the flames that had threatened to combust inside her. "We should probably rest; big day of searching tomorrow." With that, Killian rose from his seat, and left her alone at the table once again, deep in her own thoughts.

* * *

"So, when did you start sword fighting?" Killian asked. They had been walking for four hours straight, barely saying anything to one another. After last night's conversation ended, it seemed that he wasn't really in the mood to talk, and she had no desire to push him on the issue. Now, out of nowhere, he wanted to get to know her more.

"Well, I guess it was probably when I was around seven years old. I was abandoned at birth—I have no idea who my real parents are, or if they are alive or dead. I had befriended Graham when he was just a squire under King Leopold, Queen Snow's father. He taught me everything: sword fighting, archery, hunting, etc. I owe most of who I am to him."

"Most?"

"I owe some to my parents. Without them abandoning me, I wouldn't be the person I am today."

"Lonely?"

"I was going to say independent…"

"Can't it be a little of both?" These conversations with Killian reading her always cut deep. She wasn't sure how one person could have such ability. "So this Graham fellow…is he…?"

He heard laughter behind him. "Are you seriously asking me if Graham and I are lovers?"

She could see him getting flustered. "I was merely making conversation, Swan."

Smiling, she answered, "No. I have never seen Graham that way. He's like an older, protective brother to me."

"But how does he see you?"

"Does it matter?"

Suddenly stopping and tuning around, Killian said, "What if it does?"

Emma was frozen. She wasn't sure if she wanted to go there with Killian, no right this moment. "Killian, we really should be…"

She couldn't get her sentence out before his lips crashed onto hers. Emma was still taken aback by his actions that she hadn't thought about stopping the kiss. And if she was being honest with herself, she really didn't want to at all. His lips molded with hers perfectly, sending shockwaves of pleasure throughout her entire body. She was so caught up in the moment that she wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. Killian was the first to break, panting heavily as his lips unfused with her own.

"That was…"

Getting her wits about her, she replied quickly, "A one-thing. Let's keep moving." She needed to stop it, even if she didn't want to so. He body was still singing from being in his embrace, but she couldn't let her feelings could her mind. They had a task, and she needed to be on her game. Giving in to feelings would be bad for both parties in the long run.

Afternoon soon gave way to twilight as the sky transformed from a bright blue to shades of pink, orange, purple, and finally black. Killian began building a fire by the area they were going to stop for the night. The cold crept up quickly, causing Emma to shiver, even by the warmth of the hearth. Killian placed his long, leather duster around her shoulders, and she thanked him for his kindness. She could see the emotions warring behind his eyes; he wanted to talk about what happened earlier, but she clearly told him that the topic was off-limits. That didn't stop him from talking about other things.

"Did you ever want to search for your parents?"

"All the time. But I figured if they didn't want me, then why should I search them out?"

"How did you know they didn't want you?"

She shuffled through her satchel, and grabbed the only item she had since birth. It was a white blanket, crocheted with the finest wool, with purple embroidery spelling out her name. "This is the only thing I have from my parents. I was wrapped in it when someone found me. That's the only reason I know my name."

Killian looked like he had seen a ghost. "May I?"

"Sure, knock yourself out."

Killian grabbed it somewhat forcefully out of her hand, and examined it thoroughly. "This stitching…it looks just like Queen Snow's embroidery."

That certainly was not what she expected to hear come out of his mouth. "What?"

"The queen usually sits in the throne room with her infant son Charles on her lap. He has a blanket just like this, with his name stitched into the weaving…in the exact same script."

"You can't be serious."

"I would never joke about this."

This couldn't be right…Emma couldn't be…could she?

"Back to the palace first thing tomorrow morning," Killian said. She nodded in agreement. If there was any possible way that she could be who Killian suspected, this was going to be one of the worst restless nights she would have ever endured.

* * *

Emma was right: she barely got any sleep. Killian didn't even have to wake her up; she was already packing up their belongings as he rousing from sleep. The four-hour trek back to the kingdom seemingly went on for days in Emma's mind. Finally, they reached the palace, and Killian asked for an audience with the king and queen.

Killian and Emma were called before their majesties at 3:00pm that afternoon. Killian was nervous, but only on the inside. Emma, on the other hand, was wearing her emotions on her sleeve that day. She honestly didn't know what to think. One minute she's an orphan turned treasure hunter, the next she might be the long lost princess of Misthaven. It was almost too much for her to handle. She had half a mind to just turn around and run, but Killian was there, holding her hand and keeping her steady.

The massive double doors opened with a _boom_ and at the other side of the room sat the king and queen. "Ah, Killian, always a pleasure. What can we do for you?"

"Actually, I think it's the other way around, Your Majesty. It's what I can do for you." With his insistence, he gave Emma a nudge towards the king.

"And who might this young lady be, Killian?"

From behind her back, Emma revealed the blanket, and the queen audibly gasped. She rushed down from her own thrown and was now face-to-face with Emma. "Where…where did you find this?"

"I was found with it when I was a baby. A nun found me on the side of the road and I was wrapped in it. It's the only way they knew what to call me." Emma couldn't help it; she started to cry.

Queen Snow lifted her hands from the blanket to the cheeks of the crying woman in front of her. As she stared into Emma's watery eyes, she knew. "Emma…my Emma…"

"Mom?" She then looked at King David. "Dad?"

Emma almost lost it; the tears came running down her face in a furious flood as she was enveloped in loving embrace by her parents. She did it; she finally found them. She knew who she had to thank for this becoming a reality.

Just as she was thinking about him, he spoke up from behind her, "I guess I'll just be off then."

"Wait, Killian! What about the reward?" King David said.

She had forgotten, in the midst of her elation that the person responsible for finding the princess was to be rewarded. For a split second, Emma thought that he would take the reward and go back to his life without in it, and it made her angry. He had made it evident that he had feelings for her, and while reluctant as she was to admit it, she had feelings for him as well. She might even go as far as to say that she loved him, even though she knew it was far too early to tell.

"I can't accept it, Your Highness."

"But, Killian…you brought home our daughter, the greatest treasure in all the land. Surely there is something you want in return for helping us find her?"

The air was thick with tension as Killian pondered over the king's offer. Again, Emma's doubts creeped up, but she tried as hard as she could to squash them down.

Finally, he answered, "Sire, the treasure that I would desire most of all is one that I seriously doubt you would reward me."

"Try me, Killian. Name it, and it's yours."

Killian began walking towards the newly reunited family, and stopped right in front of Emma. "The only treasure I require is standing right in front of me." With that, Killian knelt in front of Emma. He plucked the garnet-encrusted ring from his pinky finger and placed it on her ring finger—it fit perfectly. "Emma Swan, princess of Misthaven: I know that I in no way had any right to do so, but ever since I met you atop the beanstalk, I have been hopelessly in love with you. You have brought a light into my life I never thought would exist, and in no way am I willing to just walk away without telling you so. I know that I am not the man who you probably envisioned marrying, but if you could find it in your heart to say yes to being my wife, I will endeavor every day to make you the happiest woman in all the realms."

A new wave of fresh tears began falling from Emma's eyes, but she was still able to answer. "Killian, I, too have been in love with you since the beanstalk but have been too stubborn to realize it, until the thought of never seeing you again broke my heart. If my parent's consent, I would happily be your wife."

They both looked over at her parents and after a slight nod to each other, David announced, "In one month's time, my daughter, Emma, and Killian Jones are to be wed!"

* * *

One month later, Killian and Emma were married in front of a large gathering of family and citizens of the kingdom. Graham was her man-of-honor, while King David stood for Killian as his best man. They continued to hunt for treasure for years—always together—when they got restless from staying at the palace for too long. Eventually, they decided to have children of their own, and along with little Liam and Anya, there were many more adventures to come.


End file.
